"I actually got a Vision too!" Even as he walked toward another tent with Lumine, his heart was still racing with excitement. He had envied others for having Visions, but he never imagined that he would receive one himself.
"But why would the Shogun issue the Vision Hunt Decree?" A massive question formed in his mind. The Raiden Shogun had issued the Vision Hunt Decree, yet she had paradoxically granted him a Vision.
Wasn't that a contradiction? His wish was to resist the Vision Hunt Decree, yet the Raiden Shogun gave him a Vision, which told him... unless there was more to the Vision Hunt Decree than met the eye. What if the Vision Hunt Decree wasn't actually issued by the Raiden Shogun?
"I understand now! The Shogun must be imprisoned! The Vision Hunt Decree was issued by the person who imprisoned her... The Shogun gave me a Vision because she wants me to save her!"
"..."
Paimon and Lumine exchanged a look, seeing the shared helplessness in each other's eyes.
"Teppei, stop dreaming," Paimon said, somewhat speechless. "The Raiden Shogun is so powerful, who could possibly imprison her? Wasn't she just standing right in front of you..."
"She could even slice through Orobashi with a single strike..."
"Paimon, shut it." Lumine stopped the big-mouthed Paimon. If Teppei found out Raiden Makoto's true identity, then the entire resistance would know as well.
She couldn't allow that to happen.
"Speaking of Orobashi... it was just an invader, the culprit behind Watatsumi Island's current state."
"It's only natural that the Shogun slew it."
"By the way, who are you?" Teppei asked, sizing up Lumine and Paimon with some confusion; after all, he didn't know them.
"I'm Lumine, and this is Paimon," Lumine smiled. "We'll be working together to investigate the issue with the evil eyes."
"Yeah."
Teppei hung the Vision on his chest. He was excited, but he knew he had more important things to do.
The Shogun had acknowledged him. What he opposed was only the Vision Hunt Decree, not the Shogun herself!
"Let's move out!"
..."Makoto, why did you grant Teppei a Vision?" Gorou asked, puzzled. "Are Visions really granted by Gods?"
"Of course not... Visions are born from one's own intense desires; they aren't granted by Gods... Teppei's desire is very strong. Logically, he should have received a Vision long ago, but for certain reasons..." Raiden Makoto had now fully recovered her memories and her power as a God, so she could sense a very powerful desire within Teppei.
She wouldn't just break the rules to hand out a Vision to an ordinary person on a whim.
"Alright then."
She, Kujou Sara, Kaedehara Kazuha, and Gorou also arrived at the Sangonomiya Shrine. Returning to the Sangonomiya Shrine gave her a sense of familiarity.
"Much of the coral used to build the Sangonomiya Shrine was actually taken from Orobashi's body. Orobashi taught those outcasts how to farm and smelt, and gave them the branches and coral brought back from The Abyss to light up the darkness."
"Besides worshiping and offering sacrifices to Orobashi as Orobashi, the Great Serpent of Watatsumi Island, did they do anything else? Not to mention, the matter of the sacrifices has been carried out by the ancestors of the Sangonomiya for generations."
"Kokomi's ancestors are connected to Orobashi's will after its death. For generations, they have performed sacrifices for Orobashi, suppressed the Bathysmal Vishaps beneath the depths, and protected Watatsumi Island."
"Orobashi protected Watatsumi Island until its death, and its will has been passed down through generations. But they... are they worthy?" Raiden Makoto was actually somewhat angry. Her relationship with Orobashi wasn't bad; it could only be said that Orobashi was a loser of the Archon War, and she and Orobashi held different ideals.
"We wish to see Lady Sangonomiya..."
As Gorou led them toward the Sangonomiya Shrine, there were quite a few people at the entrance.
"Lord Gorou... I'm very sorry, but you cannot see Lady Sangonomiya right now." Those people didn't look like resistance members or Sangonomiya Shrine soldiers.
"Do you still have any respect for Lady Sangonomiya or the Sangonomiya Shrine?" Gorou's expression was very grim. He looked at the dozen or so people with anger. He naturally recognized them; they were domestic servants raised by certain influential families on Watatsumi Island.
"Gorou... you should ask that little girl Kokomi if she still has Watatsumi Island in her heart." An aged voice came from that direction as a white-haired old man walked over.
"Only war can secure more land for us..." The old man was grey-haired and accompanied by several attendants. As he appeared, the dozen or so people who had surrounded them immediately dispersed.
"Lord Mizuno!"
"The soil depletion on Watatsumi Island is getting worse... We can no longer survive."
"Our population is growing... Back then, thinking that little girl had some self-awareness, this old man supported her becoming the Divine Priestess... but only now do I realize she's just a short-sighted little girl." The old man named Mizuno looked at Gorou with some disdain.
"But has she even considered those problems?"
"You..." Seeing the arrogant old man, Gorou felt a surge of anger. If Sangonomiya Kokomi hadn't restrained him before, he definitely would have taken the old man's life.
There were many old fogies like him at the Sangonomiya Shrine, which was exactly why he and Sangonomiya Kokomi had such headaches.
Sangonomiya Kokomi had thought she had managed to navigate between them, but who knew that once interests were at stake, they wouldn't care about anyone; they only cared about their own profit.
"Who is this? A helper you brought? A brat who truly doesn't know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth." The old man glanced at Raiden Makoto and the others, his expression of disdain becoming even more apparent.
"Let them in to see that little brat."
"Lord Mizuno?"
"Let them think it over."
Kujou Sara was just as angry as Gorou at this moment, but she was stopped by Raiden Makoto.
Only after those people withdrew did Gorou loosen his fists.
"No need to rush into action yet."
"They reek of evil eyes... You might not necessarily be able to beat them." Raiden Makoto frowned. "It seems the Fatui's reach has fully extended into Watatsumi Island."
As for her, she was just a weak Lady; how could she possibly fight?
Bah, she couldn't exactly say she hadn't fought in thousands of years and didn't know how to fight at all.
Of course, letting out a long line to catch a big fish—that was the top priority!
"All evil eyes?!" Gorou was stunned. "Doesn't that mean the Fatui had already laid their plans on Watatsumi Island? Lady Sangonomiya and I didn't even notice..."
"Yes."
"Let's go in and see Kokomi."
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